Damian Thompson is Editor of Telegraph Blogs and a columnist for the Daily Telegraph. He was once described by The Church Times as a "blood-crazed ferret". He is on Twitter as HolySmoke. His latest book is The Fix: How addiction is taking over your world. He also writes about classical music for The Spectator.

Syria debate: David Cameron is on top of his brief

A quick thought. Whether or not you agree with Cameron's argument in favour of intervention in Syria, he's making it forcefully and eloquently. In these high-pressure debates Dave's sheer cleverness – irritating and smug in other contexts – serves him well. He is not a lawyer but, like a star barrister, he has the ability to think on his feet at lightning speed; his memory is razor-sharp; Vernon Bogdanor's claim that he was one of the brightest students he ever taught at Oxford is entirely believable. It's at times like this that I wonder: why don't I admire him more?